Saturday, August 28, 2010

I know this is supposed to be a baseball card blog, but it is my blog and I feel like posting a book review. To be perfectly honest, it really is not a book review. I am not a reader at all; nor am I a writer, an airplane pilot, doctor, lawyer, professional athlete or anything really worthy of anything. I am however a self-proclaimed Winnie the Pooh "aficionado".

That's right I like Winne the Pooh and all of his friends in the hundred acre wood forest. Winnie after all is the Bear with very little Brain and I can relate to that.

The book I now have read several times (ok I know what you are thinking but it IS a book for "adults") is titled The Tao of Pooh written by Benjamin Hoff. Hoff also wrote a second book called the Te of Piglet which is a natural continuation of the understanding of the connection between Taoism and Winnie the Pooh and his friends.

Hoff takes us on a journey that each of us can relate to. In actuality we all possess personality qualities of Pooh and all his friends; some more dominant than others and in understanding the basis for each of those traits we find a better understanding of ourselves.Some of the Chapters are titled: The How of Pooh, Spelling Tuesday, The Pooh Way and Nowhere and Nothing. Who can pass up a book with chapters like that.

The back cover of the book sums it up perfectly; ". . . in which it is revealed that one of the world's great Taoist masters is not Chinese or a venerable philosopher, but is in fact none other that that effortlessly calm, still, reflective bear; A A Milne Winnie the Pooh".

". . . while Eeyore frets . . and Piglet hesitates, Rabbit calculates, and Owl pontificates . . . Pooh just is". To the right is a poem written to help you find your way.

I recommend everyone finding a copy, reading this book and finding out how closely each of you resembles one of thee characters. For me I am a mixed up combination of Piglet, Rabbit and Pooh.

Thanks to all for reading my blog and allowing me to review this book.

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Born in 1960 on August 24th, Cal Ripken Jr turns 50 today. The second "Iron Man" of major league baseball, Ripken deserves to have a special birthday.

Ripken's baseball feats are almost endless. Not withstanding the record that never will be broken of playing in 2632 consecutive games. The 1982 Rookie of the year who actually began his career as a third baseman was shifted to shortstop, played in 19, yes nineteen, consecutive all-star games, has one world series ring (1983), a member of the 3000 hit club and played his entire career in Baltimore, naturally having his # 8 uniform retired and inducted into Baseballs Hall of Fame as a first ballot inductee in 2007. This 1982 Topps Future Stars Card #21 was one of my very first "big" purchases in 1984 when I bought five of these. If my memory serves me correctly they were less than $ 5.00 each at the time. I have since donated (gave away) two of them over the years, holding onto three of them for no apparent reason. If anyone out there is interested in a trade for one of them - let me know. I am still more of a Cubs fan !

Originally listed as a third baseman and sharing future star status with Bob Bonner and Jeff Schneider (each of whom had incredibly short stints in the major leagues), Ripken certainly made up for it.

Happy 50th Birthday wishes go out to Ripken. Being a fellow 1960 baby, I feel slightly embarrassed in even having one thing in common with the "Iron Man".

Monday, August 16, 2010

For the third time in three years my beautiful daughter is off on an adventure.

Two August's ago she embarked on the Rotary Youth Exchange program and headed to Finland (yes Finland) for ten months. Upon returning home last summer she then went off to start her college life (freshman year) at Flagler College in St Augustine Florida. While both of those experiences were positive (and not so positive) in many ways, my daughter was craving something different . . . again.

Just the other day she left again, for Chicago, our old home town, to attend Columbia College and pursue her creative writing aspirations. I wish her the very best in everything, am so proud of her and look forward to visiting her and taking her to a Cubs game.

Below you will find a song sung by Winnie the Pooh to Piglet that I have now sent my daughter three years in a row. Maybe this year it will inspire her to be "big" !

You can be a guiding star,If you make the most of Who You Are.And the sensitivity,That you are now discovering to seeCan be developed even more,So you can find the hidden doorsTo places no one’s been before.And the pride you’ll feel insideIs not the kind that makes you fall -It’s the kind that recognizesThe bigness found in being Smallas Pooh sings about Piglet in The Te of Piglet pg 51

Not sure how that number compares to other years but it seemed rather small to me. With my heart still being stuck in the era of the sixties and seventies I do wonder how this compares to other years ? Anyone out there able to calculate this for the year 1970 ?

Three quarters (Santo, Kessinger, Banks) of the Chicago Cub infield were "lifer's" (that is from a long time ago)! It is a shame no Chicago Cub made this list this year ! Who will be the next Cub to play for Chicago for ten years ?

While I understand that baseball has changed drastically over (in so many ways, both for the good and bad) the commitment and loyalty of the game (from the players and owners) is one thing I wish would change back to the days of yester-year.